Chinese Chess League Division A: Rounds 10-12

9/14/2010 – The monumental 18-round Chinese League Division A, which spans over eight months, played in each team's hometown, pursued its course with three rounds played this weekend. Shangdong continues to dominate with eleven wins, led by Bu Xiangzhi and Hou Yifan. Alexander Motylev is on a seven-win streak and 2848 performance. Here is the pictorial coverage with tactical highlights.

Chinese Chess League Division A

The Youngor Chinese Chess League Division A has begun and started on April 16 in Ningbo, China, and will end in December. The Chinese Chess Association and China's renowned company "Youngor" are co-organizing this tournament, with 10 teams in the A league playing under a double round-robin system. The rounds will be played in the cities of Ningbo, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Beijing. Please note that the Chinese Chess League Division A appeared in the Shanghai World Expo from July 23-26, and also in one of the new venues built for 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou.

The Chinese Chess League Division A pursued its course as rounds 10-12 were played in Guangzhou in one of the venues especially built for the 16th Asian Games. After twelve of eighteen rounds, Team Shandong continues to steam roll its way to victory with a massive eleven wins and one draw. Although top-seeded with a 2565 Elo average, compared to second-rated Shanghai with 2537, its combination of Bu Xiangzhi as top board for the men, with Hou Yifan as top female, has proven untouchable this year. Hou Yifan has overtaken Ju Wenjun for top scoring laurels with 10.5/12, while Alexander Motylev (2705) continues his terror streak with 8.0/9 and hefty 2848 performance.

We bring you some highlights to test your skills.

Position 1 - Wang Hao - Jia Haoxiang

Ironically, it is White who will exploit the a8-h1 diagonal
and not Black. White to play and win.

Position 2 - Yu Yangyi - Zeng Chongsheng

White to play and win.

Position 3 - Liu Qingnan - Wang Chen

White took the knight with Rxe7 and Black
replied d2. How does
White win?

Position 4 - Ni Hua - Wang Chen

White to play and win.

Position 5 - Yu Ruiyuan - Xiu Deshun

Black just played Bd6, to which White found a spectacular
and quite hard to see reply. Can you do as well?

Position 6 - Motylev - Ma Qun

Motylev's move requires considerable precise calculation.
Try to work out some of the variations. White to play and win.

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the
chess server Playchess.com.
If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase
Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program
to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!

See also

9/26/2017 – The final classical game. The finals has been relatively sedate with three draws until now. But it could all end today with one decisive game. Ding Liren has the black pieces today. It's going to be an exciting game. Games kick off at 13:00 CEST (7:00 AM EST) with live commentary from Tbilisi by GMs Evgeny Miroshnichenko and WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili and live updates by our reporters Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal.

See also

7/5/2017 – This is neither prank nor clever wording: Garry Kasparov will be playing in the official St. Louis leg of the Grand Chess Tour from August 14-19, 2017. Please note that this is the Rapid and Blitz competition, just as the ones held in Paris and Levuen these last weeks, and not the classical events. However, this is not an exhibition event, and will determine the official Grand Chess Tour rankings as well as FIDE ratings of the players. Here is the press release.

Video

Tired of spending hours and hours on the boring theory of your favourite opening? Then here is your solution, play an Anti-Sicilian with 3.Bb5 against 2...d6 or 2...Nc6, and 3.d3 against 2...e6. In 60 minutes you will get a crash course in how to avoid mainstream theory and in understanding the ideas of this Anti-Sicilian setup. After these 60 minutes you should be able to survive the Sicilian for a long time, without being bothered by new developments found by engine x supported by an x-core machine. Now that it finally comes down to understanding, let's play chess!